over/under vs semi auto

zlezlius · 27-04-2011 05:51PM #1

Thinking of getting 12g shotgun (was only shooting rifle untill now). Can not make up my mind in between semi autos and over unders. Don't really like side by sides. Can any of shotguners here give some advice on advantages or disadvantages of one or another. Would be using it for bouth hunting and clay shooting. Also few makes that are great and some that I should avoid off. Didn't decide on a budget yet, possibly 1000-1500. Also is it worth get used, say, Beretta rather than new Silma, Weatherby or similar for the same Money?

WOULD MUCH APPRECIATE ALL ADVICES AND OPINIONS. THANKS LADS

ormondprop · 27-04-2011 06:22PM

I was going to change my side by side lately and was almost decided to buy a beretta 391 if i found a nice secondhand one because i used one and loved the feel of it, so i borrowed a friends beretta semi and took it hunting a few times and decided after that i'd prefer a o/u just for being able to break it, i'm used to breaking my sbs for getting through ditches or over fences, its purely personal but i liked the extra safety factor of being able to split the gun, so if i get around to changing i'll go for an o/u, something like a beretta 686, my father has one and i love it, although if you plan on doing a lot of crow or pigeon shooting a semi would be great.

fathersymes · 27-04-2011 06:28PM

I think it's really down to whether or not you shoot in company or not, people are always edgy when someone is carrying a semi auto, if you're sitting in a hide fine, not for rough shooting with others.

Breachloader · 27-04-2011 07:16PM

Firstly you can get a great second hand gun for the money you mentioned or for even half that much. And more importantly if you decide its not for you at a later stage, the gun will hold its value in re-sale.

Semi Auto
3 shots for hunting
less recoil/Kick
Can be reloaded without breaking open (useful in hide/blind)

Double O/U
2 shots
4" shorter overall with same lenght barrel as semi (swings faster)
Benefit of differant chokes per barrel
Clearly safe when broken in company
More readily accepted at clay clubs

Buy a good gun like beretta, browning etc. and you wont go far wrong.

Good luck and good hunting.

Boiled-egg · 27-04-2011 07:31PM

I have a Browning 425 sporter and it is a great gun. I use it for clays and hunting but having said that I have just bought a semi auto for duck hunting on the lake. IMO a semi is more sutable to hunting from a hide, but as said eariler they are definately not a welcome sight on clay ranges.

Browning or Beretta O/U and semi autos are excellent firearms.

Xplor.er · 27-04-2011 07:47PM

semi-auto all the way! i bought a new beretta a400 there a while ago, it shoots and points like a dream, there is absolutely now recoil with the kick off. i got mine for €1500:D
i recently sold my beretta 686 as i never used it and decided to get another rifle.

Spunk84 · 27-04-2011 09:06PM

At the minute I'm shooting o/u Rizzini and find it great but if I had the money I would have the beretta Extreme 2, unbelievable piece of hardware:D best thing to do is go to a place like courtlough,Lakelands shooting centre,Lazy dog etc and tell you have 1500 euro and you want to try the semis out on a few clays:p I think they would oblige you when they know your serious.

FISMA · 27-04-2011 09:41PM

Z,

SxS's are more difficult to manufacture - their barrels are focused and the shotguns are primarily for birds.

Over and unders are two tubes on top of each other and are a nice classy, gentleman like gun.

The auto is the most versatile. It is fine for trap, skeet, birds, ducks, and general merriment!

If I had to chose one gun for all occasions, it would be an auto.

I like Remingtons, the 1100 or the 1187 are fine firearms. Workhorses that will not let you down. Also, you will not mind taking them out into the field.

I have a Browning Citori that I hate taking into the field on a rainy day. It is just too pretty.

Also, with an auto, you get an extra shot 2 +1.

Will the gun be used on private land or at a club? You may wish to consider club rules. I have heard, but cannot confirm that some clubs do not allow autos. If this were true, I would not join them.

I think the auto is the way to go.

Alchemist2 · 27-04-2011 11:35PM

where did you get the 400 xplorer?? i recently bought a browning phoenix for 1450 new and have had to send it back due to recoil issues am currently awaiting a response from browning:(

Hibrion · 27-04-2011 11:49PM

I just got rid of my semi for a sxs. The benefits of the sxs are much the same as the over and under.
For me the shorter sxs feels better and is quicker to reload. It is more acceptable at clay grounds and is simple to carry broken and completely safe.

Xplor.er · 28-04-2011 12:19AM

Alchemist2 wrote: »

where did you get the 400 xplorer?? i recently bought a browning phoenix for 1450 new and have had to send it back due to recoil issues am currently awaiting a response from browning:(

i got it of malcolm graham in monaghan. he won the gun and then sold it to me. He can get more in but they will be €2200:D.

i had a browning gold hunter semi before the a400 and it was a piece of dirt! as i have said in a previous post it was as unreliable as my FO.

€1450 for the phoenix:eek:

rimfireguy · 28-04-2011 01:01AM

Would definitely go for o/u. Though s/auto has advantges I think the best value on any dealers shelf is a clean o/u from a quality maker like browning/beretta/miroku. Better one of these than a new gun from a less established manufacturer. As most shotgun repairs are not d.i.y. jobs reliablility is important and a clean secondhand o/u from any of the above will serve you well. Also, if doing both game and clays best to choose a "sporter" rather than "game" gun as they are generally a bit heavier, smoother to swing and soak up recoil better. Good Luck.

djflawless · 28-04-2011 03:14AM

mossberg 500 pump in camo...JOB

zlezlius · 28-04-2011 09:19AM

Thanks lads for all advices and opinions. I was kinda going towards the semi auto, but the fact that not everybody likes when they arround (safety wise), I mean shooting ranges and stuff, gives me second foughts now. I wonder does any one shooting clays in Lakelands, how do they look at semis there? This is where I would be going for shooting clays.

Thanks

pistonbroke · 28-04-2011 09:48AM

zlezlius wrote: »

Thanks lads for all advices and opinions. I was kinda going towards the semi auto, but the fact that not everybody likes when they arround (safety wise), I mean shooting ranges and stuff, gives me second foughts now. I wonder does any one shooting clays in Lakelands, how do they look at semis there? This is where I would be going for shooting clays.

Thanks

Hi there me and my friends shoot at Lakelands and can't say I've seen anyone with a semi auto shooting clays. Though I did see a couple of young lads taking delivery of one. Why don't you go and get info directly from the horses mouth, give Niall a ring or send him an email and see what he thinks.

zlezlius · 28-04-2011 10:11AM

pistonbroke wrote: »

Hi there me and my friends shoot at Lakelands and can't say I've seen anyone with a semi auto shooting clays. Though I did see a couple of young lads taking delivery of one. Why don't you go and get info directly from the horses mouth, give Niall a ring or send him an email and see what he thinks.

Thanks man, I might call in there during the weekend, see what they say.

pheasntstalker · 28-04-2011 10:11PM

i have a browning p80 semi ,peach of a gun for pidgeons/crow decoying and a reina sbs for rough shooting etc.:D:D but as already quoted i like the added safety of breaking the sbs for crossing drains,gates etc.

FISMA · 28-04-2011 10:29PM

zlezlius wrote: »

Thanks lads for all advices and opinions. I was kinda going towards the semi auto, but the fact that not everybody likes when they arround (safety wise)...

Z,
Forget what the ranges are saying, unless that is the only place you are going to shoot. Chances are the person who made the rule of no autos has a vested interest in sxs or o/u's.

Also, anyone that cannot make an auto safe, should do us all a favor and not handle a firearm. This sounds like a cheesy excuse to ban autos from a range.

zlezlius · 29-04-2011 01:19PM

FISMA wrote: »

Z,
Forget what the ranges are saying, unless that is the only place you are going to shoot. Chances are the person who made the rule of no autos has a vested interest in sxs or o/u's.

Also, anyone that cannot make an auto safe, should do us all a favor and not handle a firearm. This sounds like a cheesy excuse to ban autos from a range.

Fair point as well Fisma...

Hibrion · 29-04-2011 01:27PM

The biggest benefit that a semi has over a double barrel is for me it's capacity. Since un-restricted semis must carry only three rounds (including one in the chamber) this is not such a great benefit.

I think for this country and your needs you will be better served with a double barrel.

bunny shooter · 29-04-2011 01:35PM

FISMA wrote: »

Z,

SxS's are more difficult to manufacture - their barrels are focused and the shotguns are primarily for birds.

Over and unders are two tubes on top of each other and are a nice classy, gentleman like gun.

The auto is the most versatile. It is fine for trap, skeet, birds, ducks, and general merriment!

If I had to chose one gun for all occasions, it would be an auto.

I like Remingtons, the 1100 or the 1187 are fine firearms. Workhorses that will not let you down. Also, you will not mind taking them out into the field.

I have a Browning Citori that I hate taking into the field on a rainy day. It is just too pretty.

Also, with an auto, you get an extra shot 2 +1.

Will the gun be used on private land or at a club? You may wish to consider club rules. I have heard, but cannot confirm that some clubs do not allow autos. If this were true, I would not join them.

I think the auto is the way to go.

+1

this post covers everything I would have said

virminhunter · 29-04-2011 09:36PM

I had a quick read through the replies and didnt see anyone mention this point, maybe its so obvious its a no brainer, one of the advantages of an O/U over a S/A is that you have a choice of 2 chokes say a 1/2 choke on the bottom barrel for close shots and a full or 3/4 on the top barrel for longer shots, with the semi you just have to pick one and go with it.

zlezlius · 29-04-2011 09:53PM

virminhunter wrote: »

I had a quick read through the replies and didnt see anyone mention this point, maybe its so obvious its a no brainer, one of the advantages of an O/U over a S/A is that you have a choice of 2 chokes say a 1/2 choke on the bottom barrel for close shots and a full or 3/4 on the top barrel for longer shots, with the semi you just have to pick one and go with it.

That could be handy alright...is there a choice of which barrel to fire first in the single triger versions by the way? (shotgans is the new area to me yet:o)

ormondprop · 29-04-2011 10:01PM

Ya there is usually a switch on the safety or else the whole safety moves left or right to select which barrel to fire first

zlezlius · 29-04-2011 10:17PM

ormondprop wrote: »

Ya there is usually a switch on the safety or else the whole safety moves left or right to select which barrel to fire first

Thanks. Now, that would be 1+ for the over/unders. By the way what is the very max shotgun would be efective say on the rabbit?
Thanks

declan1980 · 01-05-2011 07:50AM

ormondprop wrote: »

Ya there is usually a switch on the safety or else the whole safety moves left or right to select which barrel to fire first

this is correct, but on most double barrels you can't change barrels when the safety is disengaged

Minky 123 · 01-05-2011 10:47AM

pistonbroke wrote: »

Hi there me and my friends shoot at Lakelands and can't say I've seen anyone with a semi auto shooting clays. Though I did see a couple of young lads taking delivery of one. Why don't you go and get info directly from the horses mouth, give Niall a ring or send him an email and see what he thinks.

They do allow semi autos. Myself and the younger brother were shooting clays there not so long ago. The sporting clays werent working properly and we ha to shoot dtl.:mad:

zlezlius · 03-05-2011 10:53PM

Thanks lads for all the advices and opinions. The decision has been maid: It is going to be over/under. Either new Beretta White Pigeon or Browning Citori. Going to try them out next Sunday and make my choice. Kinda feel it's going to be Beretta for some reason

. Hope it's a good choice.

Xplor.er · 04-05-2011 12:18AM

zlezlius wrote: »

Thanks lads for all the advices and opinions. The decision has been maid: It is going to be over/under. Either new Beretta White Pigeon or Browning Citori. Going to try them out next Sunday and make my choice. Kinda feel it's going to be Beretta for some reason . Hope it's a good choice.

you cant go wrong with either gun. Are they new or s/h?
No matter how much you abuse a silver pigeon they wont fail

zlezlius · 04-05-2011 08:14AM

Xplor.er wrote: »

you cant go wrong with either gun. Are they new or s/h?
No matter how much you abuse a silver pigeon they wont fail

They bouth new. Thanks

BoarHunter · 04-05-2011 03:47PM

Xplor.er wrote: »

you cant go wrong with either gun. Are they new or s/h?
No matter how much you abuse a silver pigeon they wont fail

agree with that- Silver pigeon is great gun- take it in 20 it's lighter and better looking.

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over/under vs semi auto

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